May Day rallies support, oppose immigration bill

May 1, 2013

Updated Aug. 21, 2013 1:17 p.m.

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In observance of May Day, also known as International Workers Day, Orange County Labor Federation members and labor supporters assembled Wednesday afternoon at Anaheim City Hall for a march to La Palma Park. The group says they are advocates of equality, fairness, respect and dignity for all workers. They also support a pathway to citizenship for those living in the United States illegally. H. LORREN AU JR., ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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As the May Day march unfolded in Anaheim, 16 protesters gathered on the Imperial Highway overpass at the 57 freeway in Brea to speak against immigration-amnesty legislation. KEN STEINHARDT, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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As the May Day march unfolded in Anaheim, 16 protesters gathered on the Imperial Highway overpass at the 57 freeway in Brea to speak against immigration-amnesty legislation. Among them was Joseph O'Toole of Claremont, a retired U.S. Air Force colonel, who held a sign reading "Save Our State" as he watched cars pass on the freeway below. KEN STEINHARDT, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Carlos Cobarrubias of Anaheim wears a wrestler's mask to a May Day rally in front of Anaheim City Hall on Wednesday. He says the mask symbolizes the need to "fight" for his rights. The rally, which was also labeled as pro-immigrant, began here with the crowd marching on to La Palma Park. H. LORREN AU JR., ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Labor and immigrant-rights advocates rally at the steps of Anaheim City Hall on May Day, also known as International Workers Day. Many of the Orange County Labor Federation members and labor supporters carried signs. H. LORREN AU JR., ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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A May Day rally began at Anaheim City Hall, at right in background, and the group marched across Anaheim Boulevard en route to La Palma Park on Wednesday. Marchers say they are advocates of equality, fairness, respect and dignity for all workers. H. LORREN AU JR., ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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As the May Day marchers concluded their march at La Palma Park in Anaheim on Wednesday, Abraham Medina of Santa Ana addressed the crowd with a stirring rendition of his open letter to President Obama titled "I Still Have a Dream." The poem speaks about the struggles of the undocumented community, said Medina. H. LORREN AU JR., ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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In observance of May Day, Abi Trujillo, 19, center, was moved to attend a rally at Anaheim City Hall on Wednesday. Her group of about 20 members represented Campaign for Citizenship. H. LORREN AU JR., ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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A May Day rally would through a shopping center as people marched toward La Palma Park on Wednesday. Marchers say they are advocates of equality, fairness, respect and dignity for all workers. H. LORREN AU JR., ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Labor and immigrant rights advocates rally at the steps of Anaheim City Hall on May Day on Wednesday. Many of the Orange County Labor Federation members and labor supporters chanted and carried signs. H. LORREN AU JR., ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Photographer Adrian Gonzales of Anaheim documented the May Day rally in Anaheim while his girlfriend's son Coatl Gutierrez, 4, rode on his shoulders. The rally paused here at the AT&T building in downtown Anaheim Wednesday. H. LORREN AU JR., ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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May Day marchers paused at the Northgate Market on Anaheim Boulevard to request that the corporate owners of the market chain allow their employees to organize. H. LORREN AU JR., ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Robert Ruiz , left and Tefere Gebre spoke out in support of the pro-labor and pro-immigrant movement outside Anaheim City Hall on Wednesday. H. LORREN AU JR., ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Maria Nunez of Montebello doesn't necessarily need a bullhorn, but uses it to shout, "The people divided will never be defeated" in Spanish. The Orange County May Day Coalition, joined by Orange County Labor Federation and UndocuBus, holds a rally and march starting at Sasscer Park in Santa Ana. They walk north on Main Street toward Washington Avenue in Santa Ana and demand immediate justice for undocumented immigrants. CINDY YAMANAKA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Blue Fay, 15, an Orange County School of the Arts student, cheers on May Day marchers who peacefully walk by the Santa Ana school. "I'm a quarter Mexican," Fay said proudly. The Orange County May Day Coalition held a rally and march starting at Santa Ana's Sasscer Park on Wednesday. CINDY YAMANAKA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Mark Sepeda of Santa Ana wanted to show the culture and style of youth with the shirt he modified at the May Day rally. CINDY YAMANAKA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Artists Alicia Rojas of Santa Ana and Christian Larsen of Tustin perform a skit depicting the arrest of a driver without papers who is stopped by police. They said too often ICE is unnecessarily involved. The rally and march started at Sasscer Park in Santa Ana. CINDY YAMANAKA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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The Santa Ana group El Centro Cultural de Mexico performs during the May Day rally held at Sasscer Park in Santa Ana. CINDY YAMANAKA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Jesus Cortez, center, is loud during the May Day march. The group of about 150 head towards the city's police department. CINDY YAMANAKA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Jesus Cortez, center, is loud during the May Day march. The group of about 150 head towards the city's police department. CINDY YAMANAKA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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A youngster gets a front row seat to the May Day rally in Santa Ana. The home is across the street from the police department. CINDY YAMANAKA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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About 150 people started at Sasscer Park in downtown Santa Ana and march pass the Santa Ana Police Dept, pictured, on Weds. in Calif. to call for immigration reform. A second group of 50 joined the rally halfway through the event. CINDY YAMANAKA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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About 150, according to law enforcement, leave Santa Ana's Sasscer Park and head toward the city's police department on Wednesday. A second group of 50 marching from 17th St. near Flower later joined the march. CINDY YAMANAKA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Flags and cardboard cutouts of Santa Ana political figures accompanied marchers during the May Day event that started at Sasscer Park in Santa Ana, Calif. on Wednesday. CINDY YAMANAKA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

In observance of May Day, also known as International Workers Day, Orange County Labor Federation members and labor supporters assembled Wednesday afternoon at Anaheim City Hall for a march to La Palma Park. The group says they are advocates of equality, fairness, respect and dignity for all workers. They also support a pathway to citizenship for those living in the United States illegally.H. LORREN AU JR., ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

Boisterous May Day marches were held in Anaheim and Santa Ana on Wednesday calling on the federal government to approve legislation that would allow an estimated 11 million immigrants in the United States illegally to live in the country legally – while those efforts were opposed during a demonstration in Brea.

No streets were closed as 300 people held a rally on the steps of Anaheim City Hall then marched to La Palma Park. Police officers kept a close watch as the marchers peacefully chanted, carried signs and waved American flags during the May Day event, organized by the Orange County Federation of Labor.

"Hopefully this is the last rally, because I am tired of hearing all the speaking and all the promises and nothing comes out of it," said Francisco Pioquinto of Garden Grove.

"I don't know how many more years we need to come out for this to be effective," Pioquinto said. "I want President Obama to make immigration reform happen. It's been an issue for too many years."

The pro-immigration-rights rallies took on a celebratory tone with dancing and cheering. Attendees said they want Congress to approve the Border Security, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Modernization Act of 2013, which aims to provide a pathway to citizenship for immigrants already living in the United States illegally while also bolstering border security.

"They're in talks, but there are things that need to be fixed and tweaked," Xelha Lopez of Santa Ana said during the Anaheim rally. "This is something we deserve, something that's been coming on for a really long time."

As the Anaheim march unfolded, 16 protesters gathered on the Imperial Highway overpass at the 57 in Brea to speak against immigration legislation.

Among them was Joseph O'Toole of Claremont, a retired U.S. Air Force colonel who held a sign reading "Save Our State."

"I'm out here to hopefully help create jobs for American citizens, veterans and the unemployed," O'Toole said. "I'm not opposed to immigration. I'm just opposed to it right now."

O'Toole was attending the No Amnesty May Day Rally, organized by We The People California's Crusader, a Claremont group opposing legislation to legalize residency for immigrants living in the United States illegally.

Waving American flags and holding signs including "Stop Illegal Immigration" and "Jobs for American Citizens," they beckoned to passing motorists, who occasionally tapped their horns.

"We're going to lose our country if we don't stop these people from coming in," Bill Kezar of Chino said as he waved a large white flag reading "An Appeal to Heaven."

Later in the day, 150 people gathered at Sasscer Park in downtown Santa Ana to call for immigration overhauls, to urge local law-enforcement agencies to end collaborations with immigration officials that result in deportations, and to urge city officials to terminate a contract that allows federal authorities to house detainees in the Santa Ana jail.

Speakers urged participants to voice their concerns before the City Council on Monday, and presented a skit depicting the arrest of a driver without papers who is stopped by police. Fullerton College student Guadalupe Cisneros recently obtained a work permit under Obama's Deferred Action program and said she wants to see fair immigration overhauls that keep families together.

"My parents are undocumented," said Cisneros, whose younger brother was born here. "My mom is scared of being deported and not being able to care for my little brother."

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